Can Christians know right from wrong? I think it's a great question.
An atheist posed the above question. The issue is, if God defines our morality, what's right and what's wrong, then Christians do not decide due to God's absolute authority. The atheist gives two options to consider:
- God exists... but morality exists independent of God.
- God is the absolute authority defining morality for Christians.
Allow me to start by highlighting the obvious trap of option #1. First, it’s not an option for a Bible believing, fundamental Christian because God possesses absolute control and authority over His creation. Everything we see He has made. Nothing exists He didn’t make. This option infers God is just a messenger, no real input, no real control, just a bystander that helplessly watches events unfold. The trap... if anything did exist independent of God, then God is a fake, a phony, and a fraud and the entire Christian faith would implode under this scenario.
Option #2, as I understand, contains two underlying assumptions.
The first assumption is that Christians cannot change, modify, or delete any of God’s decrees regarding what is right and wrong because we accept God's commands as is. One God, one morality as He defined it. I agree. Our faith in God and His absolute authority is precisely the reason we adopt His moral code as a guide to develop godly characteristics and eliminate ungodly characteristics. A dedicated, obedient Christian would not define adultery, theft, or lying as moral behavior because God says it’s wrong and sinful. Morality, as defined by God, is our pursuit to become more like Jesus Christ and who better to give guidance than God.
The second assumption in this option is we believe God’s morality without question, evidence, or independent analysis, therefore His children just blindly and thoughtlessly obey His every decree. I disagree but understand the issue raised. Although we are called to be obedient to God, we are not called to be robotic.
God, as described in the Bible, has never asked His followers to act without reason, without thought, or without consideration of what is being asked. God has not commanded us not to use the intelligence, logic, and common sense we possess. In fact, God commands His children to continuously meditate on His Word day and night. God instructs us to be good stewards and consult wise men. He tells us to ask for wisdom. He expects us to be discerning. He even tells us to test everything and hold on to what is good. He is consistent on this topic. Read Proverbs, if ever God beat a dead horse, He did it in Proverbs.
God, as described in the Bible, has never asked His followers to act without reason, without thought, or without consideration of what is being asked. God has not commanded us not to use the intelligence, logic, and common sense we possess. In fact, God commands His children to continuously meditate on His Word day and night. God instructs us to be good stewards and consult wise men. He tells us to ask for wisdom. He expects us to be discerning. He even tells us to test everything and hold on to what is good. He is consistent on this topic. Read Proverbs, if ever God beat a dead horse, He did it in Proverbs.
In contrast, He doesn’t want us to be foolish. In fact, God warns that we should not be hasty or take short cuts or be lazy. We are not to be like fools who cannot control their tongue. We are not to be "like a horse or a mule, which have no understanding and must be led by a bit and bridle". The Bible is consistent on this topic too (refer to the dead horse comment).
Nonbelievers will eventually ask Christians to produce the evidence of our independent analysis? They want us to we choose right from wrong. Let's acknowledge Christians will test or challenge God’s moral definitions. Christians are notorious for their disobedience and adept at tweaking God’s Word to fit their lifestyle or even a specific circumstance to satisfy their desires. The data or evidence unbelievers ask for has been gathered through the Christian's life of trial and error.
You see, it's personal experience as we develop a relationship with Jesus that we use as evidence. We have a tendency to do what we shouldn’t do and we don’t do what we should do (a little confusing, I know). For instance, no one benefits from adultery, but adultery exists in the Christian community. As a result, families are broken. Trust is damaged. Children get hurt. We learn coveting can lead to destructive thoughts and behavior. As difficult as it might be to forgive some people, we experience the healing power forgiveness provides when we actually forgive. God's "intangible" commands are made real when we walk with Him.
The real difference between Christians and those who do not believe is simply... our very real personal experience with God. Lee Strobel's The Case For Faith, illustrates this point succinctly, "Someone who knows God has evidence that someone who doesn't know God does not have." And because Christians have evidence that atheists do not, a personal experience, atheists dismiss that evidence as subjective and therefore not real.
Can we define right and wrong? I would say yes. Have a good and godly day.
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